Stimulus News You Can Use is one way WSDOT is working to keep transportation stakeholders updated on the fast-moving effort to put people to work and improve the state’s infrastructure. Each edition will have information on project delivery and highlights. Sign up to receive stimulus news e-mail updates. Visit the Newsletter Archive for earlier editions.

This week's stimulus snapshot

• Major I-90 concrete rehabilitation project awarded on July 30
• Two more Recovery Act projects completed
• WSDOT prepares to apply for high speed rail grants 
• Recovery.gov posts latest accountability data 
• Important stimulus dates 
• Useful Recovery Act web links 
• Stimulus data table update
  

WSDOT awards contract for I-90 project – WSDOT awarded the contract for the I-90/Lake Easton Vicinity to Big Creek Bridge Vicinity EB – Replace/Rehab Concrete project on July 30 to Icon Materials. The contract was awarded for $14.8 million, about 9% under the engineer’s estimate. A companion westbound project in the same area of I-90 was completed earlier this year. To date, 47 state projects and 157 local projects receiving stimulus highway funds have been awarded to contractors.

Two more Recovery Act projects completed – WSDOT's contractor completed the I-5/Koontz Road to Harrison Avenue Paving project in Lewis County on July 22. The project, which received $3.5 million in Recovery Act funds, was the third stimulus-funded I-5 paving project completed to date. Island County completed its Ault Field Road Widening project in May. The project provides an additional lane between Oak Harbor Road and Goldie Road. WSDOT and local governments have completed 125 Recovery Act highway projects.

Washington plans to apply for more high-speed rail funds – WSDOT is preparing to submit applications for a new round of high-speed rail grants by August 6. The applications will seek part of the $2.5 billion in high-speed rail funding provided by the 2010 federal budget, of which $2.125 billion is directed for corridor (rather than individual) projects. Washington received $590 million in January for corridor improvements as part of the national competition for $8 billion in Recovery Act high-speed rail funds. The U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to announce the grant winners on or before September 30. All awarded funds in the new round of grants must be obligated within two years of the award.

National stimulus data published at Recovery.gov – The federal Office of Management and Budget released new quarterly data on stimulus projects as of June 30. The reports feature financial information, employment data, and identify contractors and vendors. Information is available at the federal Recovery.gov website.

Congressional committee held Recovery Act hearing July 27 – Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood testified at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Recovery Act oversight hearing on July 27. The hearing focused on the national delivery of transportation projects, including testimony from highway, transit, and rail representatives. LaHood highlighted next month’s groundbreaking of the city of Seattle Mercer Corridor project as part of his written testimony.

Federal Transportation Blog highlights this week – Check the WSDOT Federal Issues blog for recent items on reauthorization updates, congressional earmarks, and the latest information on federal transportation funding reauthorization. A July 30 item included a summary of WSDOT’s preapplications for TIGER II grants.

Highlight of the week

Construction underway to build new 12th Street Bridge over I-405

In early August, I-405 drivers will see change on the Bellevue I-405 corridor as crews begin major work over the freeway. Crews will set 10, 100-ton girders for a new bridge at NE 12th Street. The girders are the backbone of a larger, wider Bellevue bridge, and a part of the $107.5 million Bellevue Braids construction project aimed at relieving congestion at the I-405/SR 520 interchange. The project is funded by both the Recovery Act and 2005 gas tax. The project will impact drivers who travel nights on I-405 through Bellevue in early August. This is when crew will hoist the girders into place. Closures are detailed in this week’s Express Lane newsletter.

The project is expected to improve traffic flow. Each day about 60,000 vehicles jockey for position as they travel north on I-405 in Bellevue. Some vehicles enter northbound I-405 from downtown Bellevue, while others exit I-405 to get onto nearby SR 520. The conflict causes up to eight hours of congestion each day. In addition, traffic often backs up on eastbound SR 520 near I-405, when the vehicles exiting onto 124th Ave NE from SR 520 conflict with drivers entering SR 520 from I-405. Once complete in 2012, the Bellevue Braids project will help relieve congestion at these sticky points by building a series of braided ramps that separate vehicles for a smoother and safer drive through Bellevue.

Important dates

August 6: High-speed rail grant application deadline
August 11: Transit application deadline for TIGGER grants 
August 14: Ribbon cutting for Washougal SR 14 pedestrian tunnel project
August 23: Final TIGER II application deadline
September 30: Deadline for obligating Recovery Act highway funds
September 30: Next high-speed rail grant announcements expected

Websites of interest

WSDOT ARRA website: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/funding/stimulus
WSDOT Federal Transportation Issues blog: http://wsdotfederalfunding.blogspot.com
Washington recovery website: http://www.recovery.wa.gov/
Federal recovery website: http://www.recovery.gov/
FHWA recovery website: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/economicrecovery/index.htm
Federal Transit Administration recovery website: www.fta.dot.gov/recovery
Federal Railroad Administration recovery website: http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2153
Federal Aviation Administration recovery website: http://www.faa.gov/recovery
OMB recovery website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_default/

This week by the numbers (project dollars in millions)